For His Own Good
by artemis-nz
Summary: Shigure is always there for Hatori, whether the doctor wants him to be or not. Vague Shigure/Hatori.


**My first Fruits Basket fic, so I'm very sorry for any OOC-ness that you may pick up on. Reviews very much appreciated, especially if you have any suggestions on how this story and characters could be made better,**

* * *

It could be said that the Sohma House was not always the most cheerful of places. When Sohma Shigure came to call, it was positively somber. He reflected that he should have possibly called first, and then shrugged away the notion. Hatori was stubborn; Shigure could already picture the firm set of the jaw, the cold voice, the eyes that were often hidden - one behind strands of thick hair, the other behind a blank stare that screamed at Shigure to Keep Out. Shigure supposed that it was lucky that he could be stubborn too.

"Ha-san! Are you here? Ha-saaan!"

At the ominous silence, Shigure entered the house without bothering to enquire further. He found Hatori exactly where he knew he would be, seated on the veranda beside the garden. The doctor had not bothered to close the screen doors despite the clouds rolling threateningly overhead. The house felt cold, almost unlived in.

"Ha-san! So you are awake."

"When you make enough noise to wake the dead, what did you expect?"

"So cold, Ha-san! You didn't answer when I called, so I thought I'd just come on in. How have you been?"

"Fine, thank you." He was using that deadpan voice again; the one that allowed Shigure to believe Hatori was lying though his teeth. "Although it wouldn't have been so much trouble if you had called first. I could have been working."

"Ah, but you're not, Hatori!" Shigure smiled triumphantly and kept his voice light. He gave the room a swift glance, noting the bareness. He had already passed the desk on his way in, seeing the neat stack of papers there, the books carefully lined up on the shelf. "And even if you were", he continued, waving a careless hand, "I would have to take the work off you. You're always working too hard, you push yourself! You should take a break once and while or you'll end up getting sick. The doctor getting sick, now wouldn't that be ironic! Your colour doesn't look too good, now that I think about it-"

"You're babbling. Idiot."

As always, Hatori put a stop to Shigure's fun. The Dog pouted. "Aw, Hatori! No need to be so cruel! And here I am, coming around out of the goodness of my heart, just to see how you were. Leaving the boys at home too - who knows how much trouble they could get into while I'm gone. And poor, dear Tohru, having to be left with those two while I'm away..." He ended his tirade with a dramatic sigh.

"Hm", was the only thing Hatori deigned to answer with.

Shigure reached out a hand. "I was serious when I said you don't look so hot, Ha-san - no offense of course. Aya would say the same thing if he were here, I'm sure. And look, you're probably burning up as well-"

Hatori slapped his hand away before it could reach his forehead. "I haven't got a fever, Shigure, so stop meddling. I am perfectly fine."

"Of course you are, whatever you say. So you won't mind getting up to make some tea for your poor, cold visitor? Its really dropping in temperature out there you know."

Hatori got up without a word. He didn't manage to steady himself quickly, and Shigure saw him flinch before his face reverted back to the usual impassiveness.

"Ha-san! I thought you said you were fine? You lied to me, oh how mean! You can't even trust your old friend with such a simple thing as your health-"

"Stomach cramps, nothing more", Hatori said through gritted teeth. He was irritated despite his best efforts. "You needn't concern yourself."

"But of course, it is my solemn duty to concern myself over this! Do you think Aya would ever forgive me if I didn't? Its too cold in here; no wonder you're getting sick sitting on the floor like this, not even a jacket on. Shame on you!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Hatori paused, regretting his tone of voice. He didn't usually snap so easily, especially when Shigure was not-so-subtly baiting him. "I'm not getting sick", he continued more calmly.

"Whatever you say, Ha-san! I think I'll make the tea, why don't you just relax a little..." Shigure crept off, leaving Hatori to sit back down again. The doctor pretended not to be relieved.

Two minutes later Shigure bustled in with the tea, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "There we go, no need to thank me! Drink up, while its still warm!"

Hatori took a cautious sip while Shigure watched him, a goofy grin on his face that meant he was up to something. "Well, well? How is it?"

"Terrible. How much sugar did you put in?"

"Not much... you know, I don't remember. Same as usual, one or two spoonfuls..."

Hatori didn't ask what kind of spoon Shigure was referring to, deciding that he would rather not know. Ignorance could be bliss. He absent-mindedly took another sip anyway, feeling the need to do something with his hands. Shigure was eerily silent, to all appearances staring out into the garden. He seemed to be waiting for something. Too proud to be baited again, Hatori drank the rest of the tea purely for something to do. He could feel it slosh around in his empty stomach, making him slightly nauseous.

"Hatori?"

"Mm?"

"Do you still dream about her?"

So that was what he was playing at. Hatori stood up. "I don't have time for this, Shigure. So thank you for coming, but I really do have quite a bit of work I need to be doing-"

It was interesting, thought Shigure, that Hatori could still seem quite together when he was bent double and groaning. Shigure supported Hatori, holding him up so that he didn't fall. It was the clothes, he decided. Even now, looking just as pale and sick as Yuki did when he was a child, Hatori still somehow looked dignified in the nondescript black pants, vest, still-immaculate white shirt.

Of course, all that dignity immediately went out the window when Hatori abruptly threw up.

* * *

"You're not staying here", said Shigure flatly, all traces of humor gone. "Its too cold, too isolated. You can come back to the house with me. I could always take your car-"

"You'll do no such thing! I can walk perfectly well." Hatori was quite certain that he'd have a far better chance of staying healthy walking to the house than getting into a car with Shigure as driver. Shigure didn't comment, wordlessly getting his coat to drape over Hatori.

"Let's go then", he said when Hatori was ready. "You can hold on to my arm if you need to."

"I'm sure I'll be fine." Hatori was seething but unable to do anything about it - Shigure plainly meant to drag Hatori behind him if it came to Hatori refusing. He walked by Shigure's side in silence, knowing that it would in the end be easiest to simply follow the path of least resistance. One friendly (wary) hand on his shoulder, Shigure talked non-stop on the way, seemingly not bothered by Hatori's lack of response. They were nearly there when Hatori finally felt his knees buckle again. His stomach churned unpleasantly, and had there been any food inside him he would have thrown up again. As it was, he took some slow breaths and allowed Shigure to haul him back up, talking to him as if he were a small child.

"Nearly there, Ha-san, you can make it, and the place is warm, far more comfortable than that other gloomy place, almost there now..."

"No need to overdo it, Shigure."

Shigure ignored him. "Its just lucky that the others are out for the day, you know, Kyo and Yuki, and Tohru with them of course, I sent them all out to do some shopping - my, what a considerate person I am!"

"Uh-huh. I thought you said earlier that you didn't like leaving them all alone to come and visit me."

"Did I say that? Ah, how silly of me, I must have forgotten all about it! Forgive me?"

Shigure was an accomplished liar, Hatori mused. It was fortunate that he never took Shigure seriously anyway. Especially when he was like this, babbling on innocently as if he'd never set Hatori up in the first place and refusing to take no for an answer. Dogs were persistent. Knowing Shigure, he would take such a comment as a compliment.

"We're here! Make yourself at home, I'll get some more tea... uh, don't worry, I'll hold the sugar", he added hastily in answer to Hatori's glare. "And then perhaps an early night? I'd love to stay up and chat until late just like we used to, but you know, I've been feeling pretty tired lately..." He gave an overly-dramatic yawn and disappeared into the kitchen. Hatori heard cups rattling and the kettle boiling, and resigned himself to his fate.

"No need to look as if you're at a funeral, Ha-san!"

"Hm." Hatori drank his tea more slowly, feeling the warmth of the home sink in. He accepted a little food, but only because he already had a headache from Shigure's prattling. Oh yes, he had no doubt that Shigure had everything all worked out. Behind that ridiculous grin and laid-back attitude, Shigure was cunning. Over the years, Hatori knew that anyone who underestimated Shigure did so at their peril. "Its rather quiet, Shigure. Did you say you had sent the others out shopping? A little late for that, isn't it?"

Shigure pretended to ponder for a moment before clapping his hands together in a show of remembrance. "Oh, didn't I tell you! I can be so forgetful - they're staying over at a friend's place. They won't be back until tomorrow."

Hatori raised an eyebrow? "All of them? Which friend?"

"Oh, you know, a friend from school, I can't keep up with all of them! Youngsters, always so full of energy, I can never hope to compete with such spirit..."

Hatori shook his head. The tea was making him drowsy; Shigure's voice seemed to be coming from far away. He quickly brought a hand up to his forehead but couldn't tell anything, as his hand was already warm from the tea cup. For a doctor, it could be surprisingly hard to diagnose one's own illness.

"Tired already? Come on, I'll show you to your room, no need to make polite chit-chat, you're family after all!" Shigure hustled Hatori up the stairs, and somehow Hatori found himself being laid down almost before he knew what had happened.

"This really is unnecessary, Shigure, I am fully capable of taking care of myself."

"Of course you are, I'm only helping you out like a good host should. Always so uptight Hatori."

Hatori felt any strength he had left drain out of him. Dimly, he registered his tie being loosened and removed, shirt buttons being undone... it was the sudden warmth after the cold outside, he told himself, that was making his face appear flushed. There was after all no need to feel embarrassed - he and Shigure had always been close.

"So adorable when you blush, Ha-san!"

Hatori mentally gave a groan. The light switch was flicked off, and in the moment of silence that followed Hatori could hear the wind wailing through the trees outside. He felt impossibly relieved that he was no longer out there at the mercy of the elements.

"You know, it all could have been much easier if you had just gone along with it", said Shigure. By the sound of his voice he was kneeling, close to where Hatori was lying. His voice was quite serious. There was a slight hint of reproach. "You could have taken better care of yourself."

"I do take care. Everyone gets sick sometimes." Hatori wondered why he was making excuses, trying to justify himself.

"Hmm. But still... not like you at all, Hatori. I sometimes miss the way things used to be."

"..."

"I'll see you in the morning then, Hatori."

"..."

"'Night. I wish you pleasant dreams."

"... Of her." He said it in a whisper, and it was as if he wasn't speaking but rather someone else entirely.

"What did you say, Ha-san?"

"You assumed I dreamed of her, didn't you Shigure? Well, I don't. Its him I dream of."

There was another silence, full of everything not being said. "Well", said Shigure at last. "Better to dream and get it all out somehow than keep it locked away completely I suppose."

"Goodnight, Shigure."

"Goodnight, Hatori. Say, what about inviting Aya over tomorrow for a little visit? I'm sure you can afford to take some time off work-"

"_Goodnight, Shigure._"

Shigure shut the door, and Hatori heard his footsteps fade away, and another door open and close again. He wasn't convinced. Shigure was even more stubborn than he was. He rolled over and slept, unmindful of the noises of a phone being quietly spoken into.

Shigure knew it was for his own good.


End file.
